LIBER PRIMUM

This is the book of the laws and practices of the sleeping dead, written by myself, Abd Al-Hazred - the great sorcerer and poet. With the secrets in this book I have spoken with dark spirits, who have furnished me with many riches, both in the form of money and knowledge, I have even learned the unlearnable knowledge of the divine ones, such is the power of what I learned. I have also learned of the Old Spirits, who lived before man, and still live dreaming, and they are very terrible. It was a face of one of these very spirits that initiated me into this powerful magic.

One morning I awoke to see that the world had changed, the sky was darker and rumbled with the voices of evil spirits and flowers and life had been strangled by them also. Then I heard the screaming call, the screaming of something beyond the hills which was calling me. The screaming call maddened me and made me sweat, in the end I could not ignore it and decided to find what manner of beast was making the screaming call. I left my house and set out into the desert with the call sounding all around me. In the desert I wandered, without anything but the clothes that I was wearing, I sweated during the day and froze during the night. But still the screaming call kept on.

On the third day, on the eighteenth hour of that day, the screaming call stopped and standing in front of me was a man. The man was completely black, both in face and clothing, and he greeted me in my tongue and with my name. The man told me his name and his name was Ebonor and he was a demon. Ebonor was the one who had made the screaming call and I did not yet know that he was more than the lesser demon that torments the infirm, he was the messenger of the most evil spirits called the Old Spirits, which even the most powerful sorcerer of even God cannot completely control. This demon gave me the gift to understand all languages, whether it be written or spoken or of man or beast. This is why I, Abd Al-Hazred, have been able to read documents which have confused many lesser mortals for many decades, but I have also been able never to get peace. For even when I try to lay down and sleep, I can hear the creatures around me speaking, I can hear the birds and the desert insects, but worst of all the dogs, which madly growl and bark about the coming of the Old Spirits.

Now that the screaming call had ceased, I returned to my town with my new knowledge and had many sleepless nights, listening to the sound of the smallest beast and invisible demons talking, only where everything is dead could I ever sleep, thought I.

After many days without sleep I set out into the desert once more, hoping to find Ebonor and to make him take back his gift, for I had found it to be a most terrible curse. For three days and eighteen hours I wandered again and on the eighteenth hour Ebonor appeared to me. I fell before him and begged him to take back his gift as it was driving my mind away from me, but he did not show any compassion. Instead he said that he would show me more knowledge. He took my hand and led me beneath the cold desert sands, down many sets of steps, untrod by man, until we reached the door to a secret chamber. In here, you shall find the ultimate truths, but you shall only understand a little, said the demon to me as he opened the door. Then I heard the screaming call coming from the portal, but this time it was a thousand times more intense and Ebonor took my hand and pulled me across the threshold. Through that door I saw all the untold knowledge, although only a little has my mind retained.

And when the learning was at an end, I found myself back in the desert standing by Ebonor, who laughed at me and jested that the mind of man was much inferior to that of the Old Spirits. I had learned of the Old Spirits in the secret chamber, they were most terrible and evil spirits who came from outside creation to live upon the earth. Then at a time before man was born they were expelled from the earth because the stars became wrong. All were expelled from the earth except for Nyarlathotep, the dark one or Egypt and the messenger of the Old Spirits, of which Ebonor was one face. Turning away from me, Ebonor laughed again and said to me that one day a time will come when the stars are right again and the Old Spirits shall return. With this having been said, I was alone once more.

I decided to rest, although my cursed gift was still with me. It was when I rested that I realised that I was holding a book, the book contained the many names of Nyarlathotep, the Old Spirit's messenger. I was able to read this book perfectly, but no one else was able to, for they said that they could not understand the words on the pages. The book told me that Nyarlathotep has twenty-one names, or faces. Each of these names may be called upon in their correct hours, from the third hour in the day to the penultimate hour in the day. With each name is a sacred and special sign, which must also be used with the correct invocation. The names of Nyarlathotep are thus;

The name of the third hour is Etonetatae and he is master of magical words and phrases and he should be consulted much in your work, for he will deliver to you many words of power. Etonetatae has no body, but may manifest as a mist or may remain invisible.

Note: All of Nyarlathotep's seals except for the final one are made from three lines and three curves.

The name of the fourth hour is Odanen, who brings with him the wishes of the Old Spirits, you may wish to communicate with Odanen, rather than with the Old Spirits themselves, for it is many times safer. Odanen will appear before the magician as a shadowy figure who is only just visible.

The name of the fifth hour is Banibo, who will reveal to the magician the whereabouts of splendid treasures, but be warned - do not let him persuade you to leave your circle, be sure to get the directions from him and then banish him. Banibo appears as a deformed and bloated man and emanated the odour of rotting matter.

The name of the sixth hour is Obinab, who will reveal to the magician many secrets concerning the universe. He is Banibo's opposite, but he will still urge you to leave the circle so that he may take you on a journey. If he does this then insist that he himself gives you the knowledge which would be attained from the journey.

The name of the seventh hour is Bosoro, who will appear as a huge and fiery snake - do not look into it's eyes or you shaall be trapped forever, but command him to appear in human form and he will have to obey. Bosoro has the knowledge of men's minds and you may ask him to reveal the knowledge of a man which you shall name.

The name of the eighth hour is Oxeren, who has knowledge of the future and will appear on a black horse, which can run faster than time itself.

The name of the ninth hour is Badero, who is the lord of gestures and will teach the conjurer many magical gestures, with which he shall be able to open gates to other places or effect the minds of men.

The name of the tenth hour is Osenin, who has control over the bodies of men and can change a man into any shape the magician tells him. Osenin appears with the body of a man and the head of a lizard, which is enveloped in flame.

The name of the eleventh hour is Boxebo, who will make doors open for the magician so that his way is not restricted. Boxebo appears as a huge insect with many pairs of hands.

The name of the twelfth hour is Norano, who knows of all the books which have ever existed and she will dictate to the magician whichever book he seeks at that time. Norano appears as a winged scribe.

The name of the thirteenth hour is Onaron, who has much knowledge of the sciences which he will tell to the magician and he may even be commanded to bring to the magician rare materials, such as herbs and stones. Onaron appears a winged man with many long and sharp teeth.

The name of the fourteenth hour is Nerexo, who holds information about secret talismen and seals. Nerexo appears in the form of an old man with the legs of a goat.

The name of the fifteenth hour is Reranber, who is a most evil spirit and will murder any man at your command. Reranber will appear as a prince in shimmering gold holding a black sword.

The name of the sixteenth hour is Orosob, who is a most lustful demon and will procure any woman that the magician wishes. Orosob appears as an unclothed black man and if he does not appear it is because he is walking the land ravishing the unwary, so you should call him again, but do not call him more than three times or you shall enrage him.

The name of the seventeenth hour is Nineso, who will appear exactly like the magician. Nineso has the power to conjure many lesser spirits and the magician should command him which spirits he should conjure.

The name of the eighteenth hour is Ebonor, who will reveal the knowledge that is not of man and also understands all languages. The magician should question him and should not urge him to give the gifts of knowledge and language, as he gave to me - for to do so would anger him. Ebonor will appear as a black man, clothed in a black robe.

The name of the nineteenth hour is Oredab, who appears as a skeleton riding atop a great lizard. Oredab has the power to destroy whole cities in one gesture.

The name of the twentieth hour is Nenado who has much strength and can effect the movement of the stars and planets. Nenando will appear with the body of a statue and the head of a fly larvae.

The name of the twenty-first hour is Rubanir, who's appearance changes constantly and will always be unidentifiable. Rubanir has knowledge of all things past.

The name of the twenty-second hour is Obexob, who appears as the floating corpse of a pharaoh enveloped in flames. Obexob will deliver visions to the magician who studies the flames closely.

The name of the twenty-third hour is Etananesoe, who is too terrible to behold. Etananesoe is the true incarnation of Nyarlathotep and will only appear at the time when the stars are right for himself.

Those are the twenty-one names of Nyarlathotep and the name may be summoned at the appropriate hour using the conjurations which I shall set down later in my writing, be warned though - do not summon more than one face in a day, otherwise Nyarlathotep will become enraged and break the circle, devouring the magician.

With the book containing this knowledge, I set about seeking a new abode, for I could not return to my village, for I needed time to study the ways of the Old Spirits and I needed a dead place, so that I could sleep undisturbed. After many days of walking I eventually found myself at the cavernous ruins of a city, which was once called Ubar, this was where I decided to dwell. In my solitude I was able to practice my art and learned much from the names of Nyarlathotep and I even dared to conjure some of the Old Spirits, with very grave consequences, for I was not prepared for the destruction they would cause - for no circle can hold them. I also wwrote down all that I learned that was writeable so that this knowledge may be passed on and shall not be lost again.